5/25/2016 - Town Board Approves Revisions in Rental Registration Law
The Huntington Town Board, at its May 10 meeting, approved revisions to the Town’s rental registration law, fine-tuning the year-old statute based on experiences over its first 12 months of being in effect.
Among the major revisions are making permits valid for two years, instead of the previous one; and making it unlawful for the owner or managing agent of a property to submit false or misleading statements or to submit for filing a certification or other document generated by someone who did not inspect all portions of the rental property. The revision also makes licensed professionals such as engineers and architects liable for the same penalties as the property owners they represent if they make erroneous statements that falsify information about the condition of the rentals. The changes also clarify who may perform the required inspection.
The Town Board also set a June 7 public hearing on additional revisions, clarifying the inapplicability of permits to developments having approved bylaws for rental units and managing agents or homeowners associations on site. The proposed change also removes the provisions holding real estate brokers liable for listing or showing a rental property without the owner having first obtained a rental permit.
At the time of its initial passage, the rental registration law’s sponsor, Councilwoman Tracey Edwards, had said the Town would review the experience after a year of being in effect and make revisions, as warranted.
In other action, the Board:
-- authorized spending $1.485 million for improvements to the Huntington Sewer Plant, and issuing bonds to pay for the improvements.
-- approved spending $200,000 from the Neighborhood Enhancements Fund for new concrete sidewalks, ADA-compliant ramps and street trees along the east side of Depot Road from East 10th Street to Vondran Street in Huntington Station
-- named Jeffrey Stark chair and Randolph W. Spelman vice chair of the Board of Assessment Review.
-- renamed Verleye Park in Elwood in memory of Charles A. Oddo, a Commack Fire Department volunteer and New York City police officer who was killed in the line of duty in February 1996.
-- scheduled a June 7 public hearing on a proposal to acquire a 0.7-acre parcel at 1 Hill Place that is surrounded on three sides by Mill Dam Park.
-- scheduled a June 7 public hearing on an application to rezone a parcel at 114 Prime Avenue, Huntington, from I-4 light industry district to R-5 residential. A previous proposal to develop the property as an automobile repair shop met significant neighborhood opposition a few years ago and was not approved by the Town Board.
-- authorized the Supervisor to apply for a federal grant to help fund the purchase of a new all-weather marine patrol boat that will have enhanced capabilities for firefighting, diving, search & rescue, communications and oil spill response.
-- authorized waiving the greens fees at Crab Meadow Golf Course for a planned July 27 outing in which the proceeds will help fund the purchase of a Paramobile, a patented device that allows individuals with disabilities to stand up and play sports and engage in everyday activities.
-- approved sending a home rule message to the New York State Legislature calling for passage of legislation allowing for reestablishment of an administrative hearing bureau to hear code enforcement cases in the Town.
-- granted an extension until September 3, 2016 the time to make a determination on the Gurwin Senior Housing application for a zone change to allow construction of senior housing on Commack Road in Commack.
-- officially rescinded the Town’s Child Protection Act, which was invalidated by a state Court of Appeals decision.